Podcasting a live event can be a great way to make your valuable event reach more people though the power of audio. It can help showcase the work and document the event for future listening.

This guide has been created by Adam Zmith, Co-founder of Aunt Nell, Producer of The Log Books and The Film We Can’t See.

It is a guide for film programmers / event managers / tech people working in cinemas who want to make a podcast out of their live events. It has been created for our T.L.C (aka Tender Loving Care for Trans-Led / Trans-Loved Cinema) series of events and podcasts. The is aimed at people who would like to create a podcast and are running live events in cinemas where there will be a PA/sound system and assistance from a tech person.

This guide intends to give you broad headings for everything you need to think about, some answers for how to make it all happen, and links out to further information.

Download the How To Podcast Your Live Event guide

What this resource is

Inclusive Cinema’s podcast series, Working Class Inclusion: Audiences, Colleagues & Programming, provides information and guidance to support exhibitors in improving cinema experiences for working-class people and those in poverty.

The resource comprises a series of six podcast episodes that cover a range of areas, from sliding-scale ticketing and equitable employment practices, to the films that are programmed and how they are presented.

There is also an access and inclusion checklist to support venues, festivals, industry initiatives and event organisers with strategic and operational measures to welcome working-class audiences and colleagues.

The series is presented by Dr. Leanne Dawson, senior lecturer in Film and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant. 

Who this is for

The resources are intended as a practical guide to support cinemas, festivals and film exhibitors to welcome working class people as audiences and staff to their venues and increase access to independent cinema for all.

What can be achieved with the guides

Working through these 6 short podcasts we hope you can find ideas and understanding of barriers for working class people, with a view to increasing access in cinemas, and offer a chance to reflect on where your venue is currently at.

The Podcasts

Click on each link to listen to all 6 podcasts

You can download the transcript for each episode from the downloads section.

EPISODE 1: What does ‘working class’ mean and how are working class people excluded?

This introductory episode explores some issues with working class inclusion such as how we define class and that the term ‘working-class’  groups many different experiences together. 

EPISODE 2: Improving working class inclusion for free

What to reflect on your organisation and how it can take small, cost-free measures to improve it’s welcome to working class people.

EPISODE 3: Broader measures: for those who can dedicate some money to welcoming working class people

What to reflect on whilst working on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion EDI) in your organisation.

EPISODE 4: Welcoming working class audiences

Consider the barriers you create that prevent people entering and/or enjoying your space or event.

EPISODE 5: Inclusive working class programming

How to include a spectrum of working class representation onscreen.

EPISODE 6: Welcoming and retaining working class colleagues

How to ensure you have working class employees at all levels of the organisation.

You can listen to all six podcast episodes of Working Class Inclusion: Audiences, Colleagues & Programming here:

Soundcloud

Amazon

Coming soon to:

Spotify

Apple

Working Class Inclusion Checklist

We have provided a checklist of measures as suggested in the podcasts to provide your staff and venue with an easy point of reference when considering inclusion of working-class people in your work.

You can find this in the downloads section on this page. 

Working Class Programming Suggestions and Film List

We have provided a list of film suggestions which can be used for ideas and inspiration for film programmers when considering working-class representation in cinema. We’ll be updating this with distributor/access materials information as this comes in (until the end of March 2023).

You can find this in the downloads section on this page. 

Lesbian Visibility Week is about solidarity with all LGBTQI+ woman and non binary people in the community, as well as celebrating lesbians. It is essential that Lesbian Visibility Week is a voice for unity and lifts up ALL women, especially those who come from marginalised communities. Recent research (Pride Matters survey, conducted by Pride In London 2018) has shown that gay women are almost twice as unlikely to be out in the workplace as gay male colleagues.

There has been a Lesbian Visibility Day since 2008.
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Building on this, DIVA want to create a week that recognises, celebrates and importantly supports lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer women across the UK and beyond to be their true selves at work, at home and socially.

​#LesbianVisibilityWeek  |  #LVW  |  #LWithTheT

Lesbianism and Cinema

Now is as important as ever to support the work of LGBTQ+ filmmakers and stories. We have some lists of films here which focus on lesbian stories or characters, however lesbianism can often be misrepresented and/or underrepresented in film. We hope increasing awareness and visibility will springboard more authentic representation in film, both onscreen and behind the camera.

If you are interested in running a film inspired event, we have provided some links below for further information to help inspire programming in your venue, or for running events or activity online.

International Day of People with Disabilities is the annual celebration of people with disabilities. This year On 3 December 2024, the theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.”

We call on domestic and international public health officials, political representatives, advocates, supporters, and every citizen in every community, to learn from the experiences of disabled people, and push for more meaningful investments into the socioeconomic building blocks which will reduce the barriers faced by people with disabilities in every community.

Disabled representation in cinema continues to be a struggle, as we see very few authentic depictions that don’t play to the hero or tragedy tropes so often associated with disability on screen. Our ask of the film sector is to see more varied characters and stories about disability, to hire more disabled talent into production, distribution and exhibition roles in film, and to support any workers with access needs with compassion and care, so they can progress and have jobs for life in the industry.

As regards exhibition, at Inclusive Cinema, we seek to see as many subtitled, audio-described and relaxed screenings made available across the UK for those with access requirements as there are for those without access requirements.

Useful sources for accessible screenings

Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings

Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, dementia-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), 21 March, is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.

Down syndrome (or Trisomy 21) is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, being universally present across racial, gender or socioeconomic lines in approximately 1 in 800 live births, although there is considerable variation worldwide. Down syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disability and associated medical issues.

Learning Disability and Film

Learning disabled people are chronically underrepresented in the film industry. This is a time to reflect on supporting learning disabled representation in the film industry as well as consider access to cinema for neurodivergent audiences.

Released on World Down Syndrome Day 2021, Amber and Me is a documentary about friendship. Amber has Down’s syndrome and is about to start school together with her twin sister, Olivia. Although at first her experience is positive, she soon starts to struggle and asks to stay at home. Olivia is keen to keep her twin sister in the same class and so begins the struggle of keeping the girls together at school. The film follows the challenges for both girls through 4 years of school and charts the changes in their relationship, uniquely from their own perspectives.

In 2019, FAN New Releases supported Signature’s title The Peanut Butter Falcon, a modern Mark Twain-esque adventure starring Shia LaBeouf (American Honey, Fury) as a small-time outlaw turned unlikely coach who joins forces with Zack Gottsagen‘s Zak, a young man with Down Syndrome on the run from a nursing home with the dream of becoming a professional wrestler. 

You can now rent The Peanut Butter Falcon on BFI Player. (CC available)

My Feral Heart is a drama in which Luke (Steven Brandon), a young man with Down’s syndrome who prizes his independence, is forced into a care home after the death of his mother. There he rails against the restrictions imposed on him, but his frustrations are allayed by his budding friendships with his care-worker Eve (Shana Swash) and a mysterious feral girl (Pixie Le Knot).

BFI Player subscribers can watch the film My Feral Heart on BFI Player, or it can be purchased on DVD or through streaming services. (CC & AD available)

Oska Bright, based in Brighton is the worlds biggest learning disability film festival. Find out more about their amazing work here.

Learning disability and Cinema

During the pandemic learning disabled and neurodiversity focused organisations kept in touch by running online activities with their members. If you are interested in running online activity you may find some helpful resources below.

If you’re interested in running a relaxed screening to help bring in Learning Disabled audiences to your cinema, find out more in our quick tips for running relaxed screenings. You may also find some transferable advice in our autism-friendly screenings guide, though bear in mind much of this advice is specific to people living with autism, not necessarily those who are Learning Disabled. Ideally, consult with Learning Disabled groups in your area for advice and expertise.